Just some thoughts from an old guy

This is a discussion on Just some thoughts from an old guy within the Defensive Carry & Tactical Training forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; The majority of this post was taken from a response that I sent to a fellow member of DC who I have busted his chops ...

Just some thoughts from an old guy

The majority of this post was taken from a response that I sent to a fellow member of DC who I have busted his chops pretty hard lately to me for good reason.
For whatever reason I wanted to post it here with some additions and maybe everyone can add a thought or two as it goes along.
Keep in mind this is not an apology or changing my stance on anything I still stand by what I have said.

For many of us on this forum we live, work and breathe from different ends of the spectrum so it is not surprising that we butt heads on matters.
I did not attend college other than an LPN program many years ago but I am far from being without knowledge.
I have never been to New York City but, I am well traveled in the world.
I have never met or seen in person the President of the United States while he was in office but I am proud to say that I have met, worked and drank with members of the 22 SAS Regiment, USSF and retired Officers and Sgt. Majors of the British Army's Gurkha Regiment and other members of the Armed Forces and Police Departments from places such as UK, New Zealand, Canada, Korea, Australia, Netherlands and many others.

The statement that follows I am saying from one human being to another with all the seriousness that I can muster.

Please take your head out of the sand and open your eyes to the real world.
This is not the television or the latest issue of Guns & Ammo telling you what to do in a lethal encounter.
There are people out there who will hurt you and your family.
I have been in uniform and carrying a gun in one way shape or another in the armpits of the city to the deserts of the middle east for over 30 years. I have seen what one human being can do to another just because they want to not for any reason just because they want to. For nothing more than kicks and giggles.

This post is not about what I or any other person on this forum has done as far as training, gunfights, knife-fights or schoolyard brawls. There are members on this forum from the military and police that have more experience than I do.
All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and listen.
This post is about the simple fact that the act of carrying a firearm for self defense may include the taking of another persons life and you have to be prepared physically and mentally to do that which includes training for the event and making sure your skills and equipment are up to the task.
This is not about OC, CC, what caliber, which firearm or holster it is about your attitude in regards to carrying and using your firearm.

Yes there are BG's who you yell "BOO!" at and they will run.
Yes, sometimes the sight of a firearm may make them flee for their safety BUT it may also piss them off to the point that they will hurt you.
All it takes is one dedicated individual to end your life if you are not prepared for him.

Remember a firearm of any type in it's simplest form is the ultimate pain compliance tool but what hurts me may not effect you in the same way. You either have to hurt a person so much to where he no longer wishes to play or mechanically break him so he can't play anymore.

I will be 50 this month and my body after years of wearing body armor, weapons, worn out patrol cars, riding on the canvas seats of helicopters, jeeps, MRAP's, HUMVEES, and numerous living creatures some of which I do not think God intended to be ridden, is not in the shape it used to be.
Don't get me wrong I can hold my own but as far as a physical confrontation I would probably be more likely to use a weapon of some sort than duke it out with someone.

If you are going to carry a gun for a self protection you must first have the skills to use it, the will to use it and the temperament to use it because the BG already has all of those.
He is not worried about legal ramifications or what the latest gun magazine or video presents on what is supposed to happen.
He just knows that he wants what you have and will do whatever it takes to get it. There is no "flip-chart" for these situations and there never really can be simply because we are all human and each have free will to end any scenario a number of different ways.

A simple way to put this, You as a Husband, Wife, Mother, Father, or Uncle would do anything or perform any act up to and including taken another life to protect your loved one from harm.
You would not however do anything or perform any act up to and including taking of another human life to protect your television from being stolen, at least I hope not.

The thing is some members of the "criminal element" due to alcohol, drugs, mental disease, or other defect just plain "don't care" & would do anything or commit any act up to and including killing/maiming you or your loved ones for that same television.
That is today's reality that you must prepare for.

You have got to learn to fight with a firearm not just shoot it.
It truly can make the difference between life and death.
You can punch holes in paper all day but if you don't train for "real world" confrontations it will not do you a bit of good.

"A first rate man with a third rate gun is far better than the other way around". The gun is a tool, you are the craftsman that makes it work. There are those who say "if I had to do it, I could" yet they never go out and train to do it. Don't let stupid be your mindset. Harryball 2013

Turn the election's in 2014 to a "2A Revolution". It will serve as a 1994 refresher not to "infringe" on our Second Amendment. We know who they are now.........SEND 'EM HOME. Our success in this will be proportional to how hard we work to make it happen.

A simple way to put this, You as a husband, wife, mother, father, uncle would do anything or perform any act up to and including taken another life to protect your loved one from harm. You would not however do anything or perform any act up to and including taking of another human life to protect your television from being stolen, at least I hope not.
The thing is some members of the criminal element due to alcohol, drugs, mental disease or defect or just plain don't care would do anything or commit any act up to and including killing/maiming you or your loved ones for that same television. That is today's reality that you have to prepare

Thank you for posting this. I have read some posts on DC where I think some of the members WOULD shoot at some one to keep their TV from being stolen, or perhaps that is just verbal posturing. In some states, it is probably even legal to shoot a BG stealing your stuff. The ramifications of shooting some one would be a life changing event. I would be more than willing to deal with that to protect my family, but not for stuff that can be replaced.

A good reminder of the real world, and the mindset needed to survive.
Nice wakeup call...
tacman605, thanks for the post!:

Probably a good time to suggest some real world reading...the two books sitting on my computer table as I type...I've skimmed both, but now I've been reading the first: "on killing", and "ON COMBAT", both by LTC Dave Grossman.

Probably a good time to suggest some real world reading...the two books sitting on my computer table as I type...I've skimmed both, but now I've been reading the first: "on killing", and "ON COMBAT", both by LTC Dave Grossman.

Both are great books. I finally finished On Combat just a few months ago. I highly recommend reading On Killing first because it was written first but mostly because it is referenced a handful of times in On Combat. From the Soldier stand-point I liked On Killing more as it went in depth into how training has changed and evolved throughout the years since the advent of firearms. Many here will probably prefer/get more knowledge from On Combat as it talks in detail about the psychological and physiological aspects of combat. The theories on why things like tunnel vision and selective hearing are interesting and engaging. The majority of his examples, which are thankfully prevalent throughout, are taken from interviews and police reports LTC Grossman (Ret.) has conducted with LEOs.

Story that sticks out in my mind the most is that a girl (18-21? I forget) was shot by her boyfriend five times with a .45. She walked herself to a pay phone, calls an ambulance, sits down on a bus stop bench and waits for the EMTs to arrive. She lived.
Similarly, and I think located near that story in the book, was a female police officer just gets home, is shot in her heart and maintains the where-with-all to draw, fire, and kill her attacker. She also lived.

You have got to learn to fight with a firearm not just shoot it. It trully can make the difference between life and death. You can punch holes in paper all day but if you don't train for real world confrontations it will not do you a bit of good.

Please take heed of this. I can shoot pretty well, but never trained for an actual real-life situation. The mistakes I made by not training properly could very easily have ended my life and that of four others I work with. Train not just to shoot well.

You have got to learn to fight with a firearm not just shoot it.
It truly can make the difference between life and death.
You can punch holes in paper all day but if you don't train for "real world" confrontations it will not do you a bit of good.

Great OP!!...I think the key takeway for all members should be the quote above. Yeah, you can shoot (sight picture, breathe, squeeze; reload, etc.)...but can you EMPLOY the weapon? That is what advanced training is for!

"A first rate man with a third rate gun is far better than the other way around". The gun is a tool, you are the craftsman that makes it work. There are those who say "if I had to do it, I could" yet they never go out and train to do it. Don't let stupid be your mindset. Harryball 2013